Album review: Senses Fail – Life Is Not A Waiting Room

This is Senses Fail. They are a hard hitting post-hardcore, life relating American band. There songs deal with all those issues in life that you hope you’ll never have to; like messy break ups, turning to alcohol, drugs, finding who you are, even suicide and finally, living life to the full. For those of you who have already been touched by any of these subjects in your life, this is an album for you to relate to, an album to help you through the hard times when you feel like you need music to relate to, and to be there just for enjoyment in the good times.

Some people will just call this straight up emo. Well, okay maybe it is in some respects, but personally I’m not a huge fan of the whole emo scene yet I love Senses Fail, and I don’t think they have ever made a bad album. The screamo they use could be what makes this more powerful and effective than your average emo band or maybe it is simply that the lyrics are so emotive that these songs become more than just a sad realisation of the darker side of life, they become the songs that are truly powerful both vocally and emotionally.

Just because the music Senses Fail creates is considered emo, don’t be put off. I truly believe this music makes me want to live my life more, not just give in and become what is being sung about. One of the songs that really inspired me off this album was the opening track Fireworks At Dawn of the line ‘so get on your feet, wipe the dirt off and get with it’. More than anything else I believe this album here for people to uplift them and regain some positivity when we are in that grim place that we all find ourselves in sometimes. Anyone who doesn’t understand that, I can see why, but you’re missing what Senses Fail are about.

As well as all this I’d just like to add on, that everything else aside, this is just simply brilliant music, with catchy riffs, and an awesome mix of sung and screamed vocals combined with furious beat that will keep you coming back for more. My personal favourite track of the album is Wolves At The Door. If you fancy going a bit mental to some screamo, this is the song to do it to.

Verdict: Personally I think Senses Fail make a fantastic mix of awesome instrumental, vocals and deep powerful messages. The only thing not giving this inspiring album 10 out of 10 is the fact I can’t help but think they took some of the riffs from Still Searching [2006] (their second album), adjusted them ever so slightly, and used them again. It would have been nice to have something a bit newer. Other than that, amazing sums it up for me.

Nick